Lock for steering-posts of automobiles



C. R WELCH.

LOCK FOR STEERING POSTS OF AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 00121, 1919.

1,342,728. Patented June 8,1920.

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PATENT OFFICE.

OF DENVER, COLORADS.

LOCK FOB STEERING-POSTS 0F AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed October 21. 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE R. TEL-CH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks for Steering-Postsof Automobiles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for effectually locking the mechanism for steering automobiles and the like.

Briefly, the invention comprises a pair of body members to be permanently secured to the steering post casing. One of these members carries a lock proper and this lock di rectly controls a pin which rojects through the casing and is adapted i. enter a recess in the steering post when desired to prevent rotation of the post.

The invention also includes a provision for grounding the ignition circuit when the post is locke In the drawings forming part of the specification Figure 1 shows the application of the locking device;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the device in its relation with the steering post and easing, with the locking pin in posit-ion to enter the recess in the post upon rotation of the latter.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the locking pin seated in the recess in the post.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the pin withdrawn from engagement with the post.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig, 3; and

Fig. 6 is a section from the same position but with the locking finger of the lock proper in position to withdraw the pin from engagement with the steering post.

The two body members 10 and 12 are permanently secured upon the casing 14 of the steering post by any suitable means, such as rivets or screws 16, turned in and sawed off. The member 12 carries a housing 18 for the barrel 20, which contains a block 22 having therein av tumbler cylinder 24 for receivingthe key, and having a center ec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920. Serial No. 832.228.

centric to the center of the barrel 20 and block 22. -The cylinder 24 has projecting therefrom an integral lug 26, to which is fixedly secured a locking finger 28, whose end projects through a slot 29 in the barrel 20, and is adapted to be projected into either of the internal annular recesses 30 and 32 in the casing 18. The barrel 20 is provided with a longitudinally-extending slot 34 which receives a screw 36, threaded through the housing 18, the function of these elements being to limit the reciprocation of the barrel 20, and its contents.

Fixed within the barrel 2O beyond the locking finger 28, is a stop 38 against which there bears one end of a coil spring 40, the other end. of which engages a plunger 42, projecting beyond the barrel and having a pin 44, which extends through an aperture in the steering post casing 14 and into a recess-46 in the steering post 4.8 when the post is in the position shown in Fig. 2. The end of the barrel is provided with a. plate 50. to retain the plunger. 42 when in the position shown in Fig. 4.

.Means are also provided for grounding the ignition when the post is locked. This means comprises contacts 52 on the plunger 42, adapted to engage contacts 54 on the casing let-when in the position shown in Fig. 3, the contacts 54 being connected with conductors 56.

\Vhen it is desired to lock the steering post of an automobile, the barrel 20 is pressed in against the tension of the spring 40 and the locking finger 28 turned to engage in the internal annula r recess, 32. This secures the locking mechanism against longitudinal movement and the spring 40 places the pin 44 under tension as it engages the post 48. The post is then turned until the aperture 46 alines with the pin 44, whereupon the spring 40 causes the pin 44 to seat in said aperture, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position, it the ignition is turned on, it will be grounded by means of the conductors 56 and contacts 52 and 54, thereby preventing run ring of the engine. a

In order to release the steering post and break engagement between'contacts 50 and 52, the cylinder 24 is turned by'means of a key to free the end of the locking finger 28 from the recess 32. The barrel 2-0 and its contents may then be withdrawn as far as the set screw 36 will permit, thus freeing the post 48 from the pin 44. The device may be locked in this position also by' turn-' ing the finger 28 into the annular recess 30.

I claim 1. A steering post lock comprising a housing adapted to be secured to a steering post casing, a barrel movable in said housing, a key-operated locking finger in said L-arrel projecting through said barrel and adapted to enter a recess in the housing, and a pin also mounted in said barrel and extending therefrom and adapted to project through said casing and into the steering post.

2. A steering post lock comprising a housing adapted to be secured to a steering post casing, a barrel movable ins-aid housing, a key-operated locking finger in said barrel projecting through said barrel and adapted to enter a recess in the housing, a pin also mounted in said barrel and extending therefrom and adapted to project through said casing and into the steering post, said pin being movable in said barrel, and a spring normally urging said pin forward.

3. A steering post lock, comprising a houslng adapted to be secured to a steerlng post casing, a barrel movable in said housing, a

key-operated locking finger in said barrelprojecting through said barrel andadapted to enter a recess in the housing, a pin also mounted in said barrel and extending therefrom and. adapted to project through said casing and into the steering post, and a circuit-closing contact mounted on said pin.

4. In combination, a steering post, a casing therefor, a lock housing secured to said casing, a barrel movable in the housing, a lock- "1ng member movable in said barrel, a pin also movable 1n the barrel and controlled directly by said locking member, said casing having an aperture through which said pinprojects, said post having a recess alined with said aperture to receive the end of the pin to prevent rotation of the post, and circuit-closing contacts mounted on the pin and the casing for engagement when the pin is seated in the recess in the post.

5. In combination, a steering post, a casing therefor, a lock housing secured to the casing, a barrel movable in the housing, a key-operated locking finger in the barrel projecting therethrough and adapte d'to enter recesses in the housing, a pin also mounted in the barrel and movable therein, the pin projecting through the casing and adapted to seat in an alined recess in the steering post to prevent rotation thereof, and a spring Within the barrel normally urging the pin toward said post.

In testimony whereof I-afiix my signature.

)LARENCE'R. WELCH. 

